One.

Why did you join robotics? Who convinced you to join? What would you say to other people about joining robotics?

Looking back, never in my entire life would I have imagined that I would be on a robotics team. I was never an amazing science student but math has always been my forte. Before the summer of freshman year, I attended Health, and Music and Art Appreciation classes at Bronx Science so I wouldn't have to take them during the school year. Being the only one from my middle school to choose to attend Bronx Science was definitely a challenge for me and I was really skeptical about making friends. But then I met Shunella. She was the first friend I ever made in high school and it turned out that we were in the same homeroom class. I couldn't believe my luck, though, when we met up on the first day of school for the same Biology class.

Shunella joined the FeMaidens freshman year and tried to get me to come to one of the meetings but I had already joined Random Acts of Kindness (with current FeMaiden, Irene) and Key Club (with Mindy, another current FeMaiden). But she persisted and I promised that sophomore year, I would come with her to one of the meetings. The next year rolled around and when she recieved the first email (even before Club Fair), she dragged me to the meeting. At the first unofficial meeting of the year, I met Qurat and Sabina and they are honestly the nicest people you will ever get to know. There's not much to say after that but kept coming back with Mindy and Lousine. I met and became really close friends with Leena, Olivia, Francesca, Nicole, Joanna, Ying, Amy, Xing, Roselle, Jennifer, Kathy, Tiffany, and Mahbuba. (Tell me if I'm missing anyone!)

I remember feeling really intimidated by the idea of being on a robotics team with a bunch of other brilliant people and I guess that's a normal reaction when you hear the word "robotics". Honestly, robotics is the most time-consuming and unhealthy thing you could possibly get yourself into. But now that it's a part of my life, I don't know what I'm going to do without it. I've grown as a person. I've become more passionate and determined in everything I do. And you don't even have to worry about making friends. The long and laborous hours you spend together everyday will pretty much force you to bond. My favorite part about robotics is without-a-doubt the regional competitions. All the energy and excitement gets to you. If it's not your first regional, it's definitely going to be your second. Believe me, you're going to want more. So to all you people thinking about joining a robotics team, you should do it.

*I'm sorry this is up so late. I actually wrote it before but the drafts that were being autosaved apparently weren't autosaved. So this is not as well written as the other one but you probably got the gist of it. :) Also, I changed the music on my music player!